CDZ One of the most telling remarks I've heard from a stump speaker in this election cycle

320 Years of History

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Nov 1, 2015
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In promoting her son, Barbara Bush remarked about Jeb Bush, "He's not a braggart. We don't allow that."

It doesn't take much to know she's not prevaricating. More importantly, it's a character trait that speaks to what kind of individual Mr. Bush is. Frankly, that's a character trait for which I have great respect, not only in and of itself, but also because it's often accompanied by other sterling traits that, combined, distinguish decent people form the boors and cads, wealthy or not, that seem these days to pervade American public discourse.
 
I agree that being a braggart is not a good character trail- in general. Trouble is, when you want to be President of the United States you do need to toot your own horn. It seems to me, discussing the accomplishments that qualify you for the job shows more leadership than having your mother talk about what a humble guy you are.
 
I agree that being a braggart is not a good character trail- in general. Trouble is, when you want to be President of the United States you do need to toot your own horn. It seems to me, discussing the accomplishments that qualify you for the job shows more leadership than having your mother talk about what a humble guy you are.

Talking about what one has accomplished does show leadership. Talking in specifics about what one wants to accomplish next. policy wise and other than winning the election itself, shows more, and specifically the kind of leadership I expect to see from a would be President. Having one's mother discuss one's nature doesn't say much about leadership. It says a lot about character, however. It's not as though both aren't important. Indeed, I consider them of equal importance.
 
I agree that being a braggart is not a good character trail- in general. Trouble is, when you want to be President of the United States you do need to toot your own horn. It seems to me, discussing the accomplishments that qualify you for the job shows more leadership than having your mother talk about what a humble guy you are.

Talking about what one has accomplished does show leadership. Talking in specifics about what one wants to accomplish next. policy wise and other than winning the election itself, shows more, and specifically the kind of leadership I expect to see from a would be President. Having one's mother discuss one's nature doesn't say much about leadership. It says a lot about character, however. It's not as though both aren't important. Indeed, I consider them of equal importance.
That's pretty much what I said. Except that an endorsement from your mother only tells me that your mother is willing to say that she thinks well of you.

Character traits are implied by one's accomplishments. I happen to think leadership is an important trait for a POTUS, which is why I brought it up.
 
That's pretty much what I said. Except that an endorsement from your mother only tells me that your mother is willing to say that she thinks well of you.

Character traits are implied by one's accomplishments. I happen to think leadership is an important trait for a POTUS, which is why I brought it up.

Come now. You know better than that.

Her remark spoke directly to the way she and Mr. Bush raised their children. I'm sure sure "apples fall far from the tree," so to speak, but do you really think the Bush boys are among them? I voted for GHW Bush, largely because he comes from the same kind of family I do, one whereof one is proud of whom one is and what one stands for, one whereof one forthrightly "owns one's sh*t," both the good sh*t and the bad sh*t, and the winds of popularity, or one's objectives, aren't going to affect that in any way. He's a man of substance and integrity. There's a reason character was a big deal back then; George H.W. Bush is a man of sterling character. His predecessor was also.

I didn't care for GW Bush's policies, but aside from his taking ten years to admit to lying about the WMDs in Iraq, something for which he unambiguously stated he was just wrong about that decision and allowed himself to be guided by inaccurate information, I don't have much that I could call an unvarnished and unprincipled lack of integrity about him; I merely didn't care for his intellectual slovenliness, or perhaps his unwillingness to apply the rigor of critical thought of which he was capable. As a gentleman, however, I have no basis for finding real fault with him.

Among the current crop of Presidential hopefuls, I think Mssrs. Bush, Carson, Cruz and Sanders are of sufficiently good character that I at least trust that they will attempt to do that which they say they will do. I may not agree with all any of them wants to do, but at least I know where they stand and can rely on that understanding.
 
That's pretty much what I said. Except that an endorsement from your mother only tells me that your mother is willing to say that she thinks well of you.

Character traits are implied by one's accomplishments. I happen to think leadership is an important trait for a POTUS, which is why I brought it up.

Come now. You know better than that.

Her remark spoke directly to the way she and Mr. Bush raised their children. I'm sure sure "apples fall far from the tree," so to speak, but do you really think the Bush boys are among them? I voted for GHW Bush, largely because he comes from the same kind of family I do, one whereof one is proud of whom one is and what one stands for, one whereof one forthrightly "owns one's sh*t," both the good sh*t and the bad sh*t, and the winds of popularity, or one's objectives, aren't going to affect that in any way. He's a man of substance and integrity. There's a reason character was a big deal back then; George H.W. Bush is a man of sterling character. His predecessor was also.

I didn't care for GW Bush's policies, but aside from his taking ten years to admit to lying about the WMDs in Iraq, something for which he unambiguously stated he was just wrong about that decision and allowed himself to be guided by inaccurate information, I don't have much that I could call an unvarnished and unprincipled lack of integrity about him; I merely didn't care for his intellectual slovenliness, or perhaps his unwillingness to apply the rigor of critical thought of which he was capable. As a gentleman, however, I have no basis for finding real fault with him.

Among the current crop of Presidential hopefuls, I think Mssrs. Bush, Carson, Cruz and Sanders are of sufficiently good character that I at least trust that they will attempt to do that which they say they will do. I may not agree with all any of them wants to do, but at least I know where they stand and can rely on that understanding.
Spare me the condescending, "come now. You know better than that."

You choose to be impressed by someone based on his mommy telling us he's a good boy because she raised him to be. You believe that his daddy and his brother have good character, than surely so does Jeb. I am not as eager to assume that every family member is equally sterling- regardless of the family.

We'll have to agree to disagree.
 

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